Saturday, December 25, 2010

Some times one just needs to try new things in order to break out of a mold.

Rosie and I have been popper fishing for quite awhile now. As you know we love it and do alright in the fish category. The problem is, a lot of the better eating fish are found a little deeper in the water column. Therefore one must try a new style of fishing to get down were the tasty fish live.

So the plan is set to do a bit of deep water soft plastic jigging. Now I have read heaps, watched loads of videos and talked to everyone I know who does this type of fishing. I did not want to fail at this.

We head out of the break water to a flat sea with high hopes and new ideas.

The first few spots and drifts produce nothing. We do however encounter a pod of spinner dolphins mucking around. Unfortunately for you all we are we too engrossed in fishing to shoot any photos of them.

We then move to an area that has a lot of small reefs in the 20 to 30mt range.

Jackpot!

Right away we find the fish and I work out the technique for catching them.

Once we have settled down after Rosies GT the wind starts to really kick. It is getting rough but we fish on.

Of course Rosie is still throwing a popper with her 30lb gear and wouldn't you know it she hooks up to a really big fish this time.

I jump behind the wheel and the chase/fight is on. At first she thought it was foul hooked by the way the fish was fighting, but it turns out it was just a big GT. After a prolonged battle due to fish size and weather conditions we finally boat a big, fat and pregnant GT. We move quickly to minimize out of water time and snap a few pictures. Then with great fanfare she swims away strong.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

It has been too long since we had a good fish. So the best cure for that is to go fishing, and a fishing we went.

My good friend Brendan and his cousin Al, visiting from Hawaii, joined Rosie and myself for a bit of light tackle in shore fishing. Our target species for the day was, Bluefin trevally and Emperors. We were fishing with 15lb to 30lb line.

Then it was my turn. I am usually behind the wheel, but I try to steal a few casts here and there.

So, opportunity presented itself and I cast out with my 30lb gear, on the third pop, my lure gets smashed. At first the fish does not realize it has been hooked or doesn't care. It just keeps on swimming casually away.

Then I set the hooks and hold on, as what appears to be a good size GT, turns on the afterburners and tears off too an unseen, razor sharp, refuge.

The fight was exhilarating while it lasted, which was about 30 seconds.

That which connected me to the fish, parted.

The ever familiar sound of braid breaking, CRACK!

Damn, fish 1 Callan 0.

I sulk back to my place behind the wheel, humbled by a fish. Not just any fish, but a Giant Trevally. Pound for pound one of the hardest fighting fish in all the world.

Time for Al to get on the board. He is using a light 15lb set up.

When he hooks up, even to the small ones, it is a sight to see. Especially with a Brassy Trevally. They pull very hard for their size.

Right about now I see another chance for me to get a quick cast in. I fire off a cast with a rather expensive lure. As I make my first pop my lure if hammered. I see the slab side of a Red Bass as it takes my lure and finds an unseen, razor sharp, refuge.

That which connected me to the fish, parted.

The ever familiar sound of braid breaking, CRACK!

Damn, fish 2 Callan 0.

I sulk back to my place behind the wheel, humbled by a fish. Granted, the Red Bass is no slouch. You get exactly 1.3 seconds to turn it towards the boat, if no? Then the ever familiar sound of braid breaking, CRACK!